Interior Design Books

I ordered Silent Witness at the insistance of a friend and ended up enjoying it so thoroughly, that I purchased 5 others as gifts for others.

Readable... approachable... and real world. Highly recomended!

Christians' Homes Should Be 'Silent Witness' to Faith, Says Top Designer

International interior stylist shows how to let living environment 'speak' about beliefs

by Andy Butcher

An award-winning interior designer with high-society clients from New York to London has taken on a more modest but, he says, equally important project: transforming the average Christian home into a place of ministry. Georg Andersen believes that many Christians are missing out on an opportunity to impact others through the way they live, as much as what they say. So he has opened his own home to show them how. In "Silent Witness: The Language of Your Home" the man whose firm has helped style the White House and an international list of luxury homes, exclusive hotels and elite restaurants, details how simple touches can change the atmosphere and touch lives. "Our homes speak about our beliefs, priorities and purpose in life. These are the words of silent witness that influence others," he says. "I don't mean putting crosses and embroidered Bible verses all over the wall, although I have nothing against that...but there are better ways than slapping someone in the face." "Silent Witness" explains how Andersen and his wife turned a Connecticut farmhouse-style property in Arkansas into their new home, after years of living in New York. The book takes readers on a room-by-room guided tour, showing how layout and decoration can help create the right mood, and provide conversation points of faith. Even seemingly insignificant personal treasures can be used to make an impact, he says--like the stone engraved with the word "grace," which sits on a table in what he calls "the welcome room," rather than the foyer. It was a gift from the family's pastor, shortly before Andersen learned his young grandson was autistic. "God really spoke to me [through it] in those days, and showed me His grace in my darkest hour," he recalls. "On occasions when people come in they will remark on the stone, and I will retell the story. I always fall apart when I tell it, and someone else will say, 'We didn't know you had hurts. We thought you had it all together. We have hurts; can we share them with you?'" A frequent guest on television and radio, Andersen says that many Christians fail to make the most of their homes either because they feel guilty about what they do have, or they feel that they don't have enough to be able to make anything of it. "Some feel that they have to live in a clinical environment and are afraid to begin to fulfill what God has put in them with regard to creativity," he says. "[But] the home is exalted throughout Scripture, and beauty is of God. I'm not talking about gilded candles; whatever you perceive to be beautiful, it comes from Him. "I have had people tell me they couldn't entertain because their home was not up to snuff, and they wished it was perfect. But perfect will never come...Doors will open when we invite people in, not to take a tour but to share each others' hearts." Andersen's mission has been endorsed by Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who credits the designer with helping "make the mansion a home," when he took office. "He helped us make the family quarters uniquely ours," he says.

Reproduced by permission of Charisma News Service

Georg Andersen walks us through the home he shares with his wife and loving helpmeet, Annabelle. This visual and verbal tour through the Andersens' beautiful home in Arkansas shows the beauty and practical use of each room. Even the names of each room reveal much reflection on the purpose and function of that room and the very place that room holds in their lives.

Mr. Andersen offers this paragraph early in the book: "In offering this idea of silent witness, I don't envision 'praying hands' or Christian magazines on the coffee tables. How you use your home and what people sense when they are in it are far more revealing." Examples of the "words" the Andersens desire their home to "say" are faith, contentment, hospitality, meekness, gentleness, generosity, creativity, and gratefulness. Words that--with the right "accent" and "pronunciation"--reflect a Creator/Loving Heavenly Father for whom the Andersens obviously feel honored to be stewards.

Mr. Andersen has notable credentials for his work and is responsible for the beauty and design for many internationally known venues, but his concepts for planning and decorating a home are applicable to all. His suggestions and observations center a great deal on using this "language" in your decorating--where you are, using what you have.

A word of warning to the Andersens is that all who enjoy this book will desire a meal and overnight stay in their home--not to take advantage of this intimate glimpse into the beauty and warmth of their home, but to be loved, listened to, and nurtured as the Andersens use God's beauty and order and their heart for God to love and encourage others through them.

SILENT WITNESS: The Language of Your Home strikes a chord within me as I decorate a new home. I am looking at--and listening to--my home with new eyes and ears to hear what it says to those who come near. I'm planning to teach it some new words that come straight from our Father--a holy, loving God--for whom my husband Jack and I are blessed to be stewards.

This book is filled with beautiful pictures. I definitely recommend this book to interior decorators and book collectors.

This is a wonderful book and itis surprising that there is a Viêt Nam style ! Beautiful, outstanding and wonderful houses, decoration. I would recommend this book to everybody who loves interiorist, decoration and different home styles.
Splendid gift !!

Superbly enhanced throughout with the simply beautiful color photography of Luca Invernizzi Tettoni, "Vietnam Style" is a co-authored study of Vietnamese history, culture, art, and architecture by Bertrand de Hartingh (a recognized authority on the intricate and complicated cultural history of Vietnam) & Anna Craven-Smith-Milnes (whose fascination with Vietnamese architecture and design led to the founding of her own business, Mekong Merchant). With special attention to elements of interior design, "Vietnam Style" is organized into four major sections: Vernacular Styles; The French Legacy; Modern Times; and Contemporary Design & Crafts. From temples and pagodas, to residences and rooms, to furniture, baskets, lights, embroidery, lacquerware, ceramics, and propaganda art, "Vietnam Style" offers informative insights and illustrative examples that wonderfully showcase the diverse contributions that made Vietnam culture and architecture what it is today. A work of impressive detail and seminal accomplishment, "Vietnam Style" is very highly recommended for academic library International Studies, Architectural Studies, Interior Design Studies, and Vietnam History reference collections, and is especially appropriate for non-specialist general readers with an interest in Vietnamese culture.

There are a lot of organizational books on the market, some to help you get rid of clutter, some to help you organize your clutter into essential documents on file at your fingertips, some with places to write info about all types of rooms you have leaving lots of pages blank because you don't have certain rooms in your house that other people may have like a game room or sauna, but for the average homeowner, THIS book is all you need.

First of all, you get to 'name' your own rooms so there's no wasted space! You can label the pages in order of the flow of your house, so if your dining room is right next to your living room, the pages can be labeled that way, and the paint or carpet samples for each room will be close enough together in your book so that you're not flipping back and forth all the time. That alone means the book is much more relavant to you than most books on the market & if you want to include exterior features, or landscaping you can DO that quickly and neatly just by writing in the appropriate title on the next page.

The ABSOLUTELY BEST feature is that EVERY page has a big pocket for receipts, for magazine pictures you've pulled showing what you've done or what you'd like a remodeling project to look like, paint chips, photos, etc. For instance, I once found a picture in a magazine of an exterior doorway I wanted, with some modification, to use on the interior of an area we want to remodel. That was 14 years ago. Try holding onto a picture from a magazine for 14 years without losing it or damaging it! I DID, because I knew right where I'd put it -- I'd placed it in the pocket flap on the 'Future Loft' page, where it would eventually be the entrance door to our loft. Trying to tell a contractor how the door I wanted differed from hundreds of other mission-style doors on the market today would have been impossible without that picture to show the details of what I wanted in my door!

On top of the pockets being useful, each pocket has a grid where you can measure off and sketch your room -- you can sketch a floor plan or a wall with a window or several sketches if you want, it's up to you to use it however it will best suit your circumstances. And the pockets are sturdy enough to hold a LOT of loose pieces of paper, samples, etc. I carried a sort of thin sample of a brick around to match a color for a number of months! Now the brick DID cause some wear and tear on the pocket, but just being able to have it handy was GREAT! It meant I didn't lay it down somewhere in a store and leave it there. I reinforced the pocket with some tape and away I went with my brick sample!

If you're insistent on neat and tidy records, you might want to take some posterboard, cut it to fit the pocket, then staple your receipts or paint chips or whatever you decide you want to keep in your pockets to the posterboard so you can have a flipchart of information that you keep in the pocket, in an organized fashion. Pull out the posterboard, and just flip over to the item you're looking for! If you're REALLY anal about keeping things neat, use a photo refill page inside each pocket and slip your samples, swatches or pictures into the photo refill page so that you can pull out just one sample instead of pulling out the whole page if you want to.

My current book bulges to about 6" thick--and that's without the brick sample--because I've used it to keep remodeling ideas I WANT to do at my fingertips! I'm getting a new one now to track what I've actually done up to this point, and to get us through the remodeling we'll be doing this next year -- we're finally to the point financially where we can do most of what we want (I've been told by a couple of contractors that we should just move to a bigger place, but we'll have everything we need right here, once we remodel a few areas!) and I'll have everything recorded as it's done, in my new book, so it will be complete when the remodeling is done.

Eventually I can pass it on to new owners, when we can no longer take care of ourselves here and decide to sell, and it will help them to either freshen up what we did with the exact color code of paint, know the sizes of each space if they want to remodel, or keep track of their own swatches and chips if they decide to remake certain rooms!

The white plastic 'tooth' binding is wonderful because the book lies flat and expands some if you need extra room like I do!

This is the most appropriately named book I've seen in a loooooonnnnggg time -- "house in hand" is exactly what it is and "peace of mind" is what it provides!!!

When I first moved into my home I didn't know where to start in decorating. This was long before HGTV, Trading Spaces, or other design shows. This planner was invaluable in helping me get everything together. I was able to take it with me to fabric stores, paint stores, etc. All my swatches, paint numbers and wallpaper samples were together, window measurements were readily available, as well as listings of painters, plumbers, appliance manufacturers, putting everything in one place. When I decided to move, it also helped. All room sizes were listed, as well as information on all appliances, as well as major renovations I had done to the house. My real estate agent said it helped in selling. And now, it's with the new owners.

I bought this book during a remodel of our home. I still have it and use it for all my decorating. The pocket pages are the best for storing samples and the grid design is great for showing your room to perspective contractors. If you take it with you shopping, you will have all your information and color swatches with you for every project. It makes a wonderful gift for a new home owner, or for that first apartment.

A great book with beautiful pictures which now is on my coffee table. Very nice!!!

If you have a knack for decorating, and love warm, inviting interiors, then this is a book to add to your collection. It is not a how-to book, as the text is sparse, but the photos make quite a statement on their own.

The showcased homes are elegant, opulent, and well beyond the reach of the average homeowner. However, many ideas could be implemented on a smaller scale, and it does provide the reader with some ways to pull a room together. This book would be particularly helpful to those building or remodeling, or looking for ideas on how to give a room that "wow" factor.

Perla Lichi uses a warm color palette for the decorating in this book. Golds, browns, yellows, and rich woods dominate most rooms. The discussion of numerology was a distraction for me, but I could easily get beyond that and appreciate her incredible design talent. Every time I look through the book, I find more details that I could use in my own decorating. It's definitely a keeper.

Perla Lichi is one of the most talented designers I have ever seen. I have used many of the ideas from her two books as I built my own home. The pictures are fantastic and most of what she has done can be reproduced economically.

This book is excellent if you are interested in Interior or product design this is perfect.
Great photographs and some information on the products, the best part that it gives you the websites for each item (1000) so you can use this as a great reference.

It compiles a good variety of products in a glossy book that you can do nothing but adore. Not only it is a good source book, it is enjoyable. By no means it is complete, and it wasn't meant to be. You could use it as a source for inspiration, an indicator for near future trend, and if you are financially resourceful, a buying guide!

Have it, browse it and enjoy !

The National Electric Estimator 2000 is a great resource. I have used several of the National Estimator books from Craftsman in the past and have been more than pleased with the quality, this one is no exception. From the estimating tables to the information about various aspects of the electrical trade I was impressed repeatedly with how easy it was to access and use the information. An added bonus is the cd which is included with the book. This cd is the National Electrical Estimator program and contains all of the information that is in the book. This program alone is worth the purchase price of the book! All of the tables are fully editable, from the tax rate to labor and materials costs, this program could be a valuable estimating tool for any small business. I highly recommend this book!

The National Electric Estimator 2000 is a great resource. I have used several of the National Estimator books from Craftsman in the past and have been more than pleased with the quality, this one is no exception. From the estimating tables to the information about various aspects of the electrical trade I was impressed repeatedly with how easy it was to access and use the information. An added bonus is the cd which is included with the book. This cd is the National Electrical Estimator program and contains all of the information that is in the book. This program alone is worth the purchase price of the book! All of the tables are fully editable, from the tax rate to labor and materials costs, this program could be a valuable estimating tool for any small business. I highly recommend this book!

Very easy to use, and estimates easily transfered to quickbooks. I am very pleased with it.

this book makes electrical estimation easy and fast. it has added benifits of a cd and internet access. it has made my estimations faster and is accurate.

25 Tropical Houses In The Philippines by Elizabeth V. Reyes, featuring the photography of A. Chester Long, is an impressive collection of the innovative architectural designs showcasing Philippines creativity and artistic approaches to crafting modern furniture and buildings. Featuring a substantial compendium of vivid full-color photography, 25 Tropical Houses In The Philippines acts as an ultimate guide for students of architecture of Filipino modern culture and design. A welcome addition to professional and academic library Architectural Studies collections, 25 Tropical Houses In The Philippines for anyone who has an interest in the art of modern architectural design in a tropical south-seas climate.

This book showcases what Filipinos can do in modern architecture and interior design, while still incorporating the notably unique and vibrant tropical style. The houses featured in this book used a number of West, East, traditional, even tribal elements that can only be truly Filipino. A great reference material for people into modern architecture with a tropical twist. It's a feast!

This is one of my favorite books. I look at it often and it has inspired me to take more family pictures and document our daily lives. This is a book about the love of a family through pictures and stories. It includes holidays, recipes, gardening tips, and more. Even though the style of decorating may not be my own, I still love the absolute warmth of this book. The warmth of family.

I just love this book. Mary put her heart into this book & the love for her family ...it reflects in every page. The applesauce with plums is fantastic! In the pages of this book you will see awesome pictures that show the true essence on family and there love of home & what is important to them. If you ever get a chance to buy a copy of this book now that it is now out of print -you will be rewarded with joy in seeing the heart of a family. ENJOY & let the pages of this book rub off on you in how you look at life & family.

Tremendous resource for serious scholars. The references are thorough and well-documented. I look forward to reading more of Dr. Cahill's work.

This is truly a monumental work. Thank you on behalf of my colleagues and students. N. Redington, Jr.